Gaelic Games

Munster SFC wrap: Waterford secure first win over Tipperary since 1988

Second half goals for Cork make the difference as they see off Limerick

Waterford’s Tom O’Connell celebrates scoring his sides second goal. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho

Sun Apr 7 2024 - 16:57

Munster SFC quarter-final: Waterford 2-7 Tipperary 1-5

A remarkable turnaround into a gale-force wind earned Waterford a historic first victory over neighbours Tipperary since 1988.

The home faithful among the 1,071 crowd were overjoyed at full-time after two late goals from Tom O’Connell, part of his 2-3 on the day, sealed a change of fortunes that looked unthinkable at half-time.

The Déise appeared to have blown their chance after wasting the wind advantage in a first half where they scored just one point. They were transformed carrying the ball into the teeth of the breeze.

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They took their first lead in the 67th minute when O’Connell fisted home and he sealed it two minutes into stoppage time from a shot that rebounded back off the post.

It was a win to rewrite the record books, their first championship victory since 2018 and first in Munster since 2010. Having finished winless at the foot of Division Four, they are now one game against Clare away from a Munster final and Sam Maguire football.

It took them 31 minutes to register their first point via Stephen Curry by which time Tipp had racked up 1-2, the third-minute goal after Mark Stokes collected the ball along the endline and drilled it low to the net.

Waterford re-emerged transformed with greater purpose and direct running. Curry kicked two fine points and O’Connell converted a pair of frees as Tipp, fatally, went 27 minutes without a score.

Waterford: P Hunt; R Browne, C Walsh, C McCarthy; B O’Keeffe, S Whelan-Barrett, R McGrath; M Curry, J Curry (0-1, one free); C Mac Craith, D Fitzgerald, W Beresford; S Curry (0-3), T O’Connell (2-3, three frees), J Power.

Subs: C Ó Currín for McCarthy (56, inj), A Dunwoody for Mac Craith (63), J Walsh for Fitzgerald (70).

Tipperary: E Comerford; T Condon, J Feehan, P Feehan; S Grogan (0-1), J Morris, C Cadell; K Costello, C Kennedy; C O’Shaughnessy, M Stokes (1-0), C Deely; R Quigley (0-1), P McGarry (0-1), J Kennedy.

Subs: E Moloney for Deely (42), C Sweeney (0-1) for Quigley (42), S Neville for O’Shaughnessy (52), S O’Connell for Condon (53), T Doyle (0-1) for Stokes (59).

Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).

Cork 3-13 Limerick 0-11

Second half goals from Chris Óg Jones, substitute Ruairí Deane, and Ian Maguire set up a Munster SFC semi-final clash for Cork against Kerry in Killarney in two weeks’ time thanks to their 3-13 to 0-11 win over Limerick in front of 4,062 supporters at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

Limerick, who were playing with a huge breeze in the opening 35 minutes, led by the narrowest of margins at the break – 0-7 to 0-6 – after both sides were level on four separate occasions, before a Chris Óg Jones goal 10 minutes into the second half put Cork on their way to their 11-point victory as the Rebels outscored the Shannonsiders by 3-7 to four points after the restart.

As expected, Cork started off the brightest with Matty Taylor slotting over after just 28 seconds, despite John Cleary’s charges facing into a strong wind in the opening half.

Cork's Ian Maguire celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the match. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Limerick, however, responded well and held a two-point advantage midway through the opening half – 0-4 to 0-2 – and after Cork brought it level twice more, Jimmy Lee’s men edged ahead with a Peter Nash on the verge of half time.

Cork had the best goal chance of the opening half with just 12 minutes on the clock. Rebels’ captain Brian Hurley did well to brush aside a stretched Limerick defence before squaring the ball, but Paul Walsh fisted wide the golden opportunity, much to the delight of Treaty goalkeeper Josh Ryan.

Walsh’s chance was one of three goalscoring chances for Cork in the opening half – a sign of things to come, but Limerick held out to take a one-point lead into the break.

Limerick were temporarily reduced to 14 three minutes before half time when Cathal Downes was shown a black card for a foul on Seán Powter in the middle of the field.

Both sides were level for the fifth time moments after the restart when Cork corner forward Chris Óg Jones slotted over from close-range to make it 0-7 apiece.

Cork led for the first time since the 22nd minute when Brian O’Driscoll curled over a superb point from out wide just shy of the 40th mark.

Cork eventually had their well-deserved goal 10 minutes into the final 35 minutes after Colm O’Callaghan turned over the ball in midfield before the Éire Óg midfielder found Jones in plenty of space in front of the Limerick goal. The Cork corner forward made no mistake to raise the green flag.

Limerick got their first point of the second half in the 49th minute, scoring three in-a-row thereafter to make it a four-point game, but Cork outscored Limerick by 2-2 to 0-1 in the remaining 10 minutes.

John Cleary’s charges put the result beyond any doubt with 10 minutes remaining on the clock. Substitute Ruairí Deane fisted home a close-range effort after Limerick goalkeeper Josh Ryan did well to save a Jones shot on goal on to the crossbar.

Cork added to Limerick’s woes six minutes from time when midfielder Ian Maguire burst forward through a stretched and tired looking Limerick defence to set up a Munster SFC semi-final against arch-rivals Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday, April 20th.

Cork: Christopher Kelly; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O’Mahony (0-1), Tommy Walsh; Luke Fahy (0-2), Seán Meehan, Matty Taylor (0-1); Ian Maguire (1-0), Colm O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Seán Power, Brian O’Driscoll (0-1); Chris Óg Jones (1-2), Conor Corbett (0-1), Brian Hurley (0-4, three frees)

Subs: Ruairí Deane (1-0) for Walsh (47 minutes), Maurice Shanley for Meehan (49 minutes), Steven Sherlock (0-1, one free) for Hurley (52 minutes), Mark Cronin for Powter (60 minutes), John O’Rourke for O’Driscoll (66 minutes)

Limerick: Josh Ryan; Darren O’Doherty, Seán O’Dea, Brian O’Sullivan; Cormac Woulfe, Cillian Fahy, Paul Maher; Tommy Childs (0-1), Emmet Rigter (0-2); Bryan Nix (0-1), Cathal Downes, James Naughton (0-4, two ‘45s, one free); Peter Nash (0-1, one free), Rob Childs (0-1), Danny Neville

Subs: Barry Coleman for Woulfe, Shane Costelloe (0-1, one mark) for Downes (both 56 minutes), Jamie Baynham for Nash (60 minutes), Tommy Griffin for Nix, Ruadhan O’Connor for O’Sullivan (both 69 minutes)

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).

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